Cotton-harvester.



E. S. BEACH.

COTTON HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.20. 1912.

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COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED Aumzo. 1912.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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E. S. BEACH.

COTTON HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED Ammo. 1912.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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E. S. BEACH.

COTTON HAR ER. APPLICATION FILED .20, 1912.

Patented Apr. 13, wl.

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E. S. BEACH.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION min AUG.20,1912.

Patented Apr. 13, 193.5.

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E. S. BEACH.

COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION man AuG.20. 1912.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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earns para t a uw s. nnaen, or nrnenrrntn, connnorrcn'r, assienon 'ro rMen-CAMPBELL COTTON PICKER CORPOMTION, F WJILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

COTTN-HARVESTER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application tiled August 20, 1912. Serial No. 715,985.

To all whom it may concern e Be it known that l, EDWARD S. BEACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ridgefield, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Cotton- Harvesters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to 'cotton-harvest ers.

lts object isv to reduce the cost of construction of such harvesters.

lin the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1. is a vertical sectional view at a line correspending to line 1--1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a View partly in elevation, looking down, and partly inhorizontal section at a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 1. This View shows particularly the driving and actuating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a transverse section at a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 3. This view shows particularly a portion of the pickerfinger actuating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a sprocket-chain, each link of which is adapted to carry a longitudinally movable and simultaneously rotating picker finger, one of which is shown on one of the chain- Fig. 6 is a side view of the structure shown in' Fig. 5f Fig. 7is a View showing a portion of one of the sprocket-wheels for traveling the s rocket-chains, the links of which are provided with horizontally pro jecting picker-fingers. Fig. 8 is a sectional view at line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fi 9 is a top plan view on one of a stack o horizontal chain-separator plates, with four plate-spacingblocks in place. elevation of a portion of one of the stacks of the chain-spacing plates spaced apart by the spacing-blocks. Fig. 10 is taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a side-elevation of a portion of a stripper-comb for the picker-fingers. Fig. l2 1s atop plan view of an vendless s rocket-chain carried horizontally on horizontal sprocket-wheels, the chain-links carrying picker-fingers that are rotatable on their own axes. The view also shows mainly intop elevation the upper side ofone of the teeth of the 'strippercomh Fig.- 13 is an elevational view, partly in sec tion at a line correspondingto line 113-13y Fig. 10 is a sectional y l of Fig. 3, and shows at each side of the central, lengthwise opening of the machine `brushes for cleaning the pickery fingers, and from each picker-drum an upwardly-extending chute that discharges into a seed cottoncleaner provided with an outward discharge. The view also shows a pair of elevator fans,

one in plan view, and the other in vertical.

section, for producing an upwardly ascend ing current in the chutes for sucking the cotton from the picker-drums vand forclng it -upwardly into the seed cottoncleaner. 'llhel View also lllustrates a portion of the fan-operating mechanism. Fig. 14 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 15 is a view showing a portion of one of the sprocketwheels with picker-fingers projecting hori zontally to pass between a vertical stack of finger-cleaning brushes. The view also Shows a portion of the comb. Figs. 16 and 17 are diderent views of one of the series of finger-cleaning brushes. Fig. 18 is a sectlonal view at line 18-18 of Fig. 15. Fig. 19 is a vertical sectional view at a line correspondlng to line 19-19 of Fig. 15, and shows the entrance of one of the chutes from the bottom of a picker-drum.

rllhe machine shown in the drawings is a motor-driven vehicle, the power whereof is also used for actuating the picking, elevating and cotton-cleaning mechanisms; the combsor strippers and the finger-cleaning brushes being stationary.

Referring to the drawings, the drive-shaft 1` (Fig. 3) drives the gear-shaft 2 through a bevel-gear 3 which meshes with a bevel-gear 4on a shaft 5 of the change-speed mechamsm 6. Shaft 2 is provided at each end with a bevel-gear 7 that meshes with ahorizontal gear 8 on a vertical shaft 9 of each cotton-plcking apparatus, whereof there are two sets; one at one side and the other at the other side of the lengthwise central opening of the machine. Description of one set of picking mechanisms will suce for ,both of them, as they are identical in construction and operation.

Shaft 9 carries a stack of horizontal sprocket-wheels 10, the hubs whereof are fixed to shaft 9 by a key 11, so that all the sprocket-wheels rotate slmultaneously. The shaft 9 is the forward part of the machine and in line with it, toward.-the rear of the machine,l is a vertical sprocket-wheel 'shaft 12 that is provided with astack of sprocketwheels13 (Fig. 12). Each set of stacks of sprocket-wheels on the side of the machine are contained in a drum-casing, indicated by a. Each drum is open on its inner side, s0 that in the translation of the picker-fingers they project into, travel through and pass out of the central portion b of the machine (Fig. 4), this being the central, lengthwise passageway ofthe machine for the plants that are to be picked.

The sprocket-wheel chains are indicated by 14 (Fig. 12), and as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each chain is provided with a stud 15, on which is rotatably mounted a cup 16, the cup being held in place by a nut 17 on the outer end of'stud 15; the nut lying within the chamber of the cup, which may, if desired, be filled with lubricating material. The nut 17 is preferably pinned at `18 to stud 15. In

the mouth of the cup there is inserted the shank 19 of a picker-finger 20, which is held` non-rotatably in the cup by a tapered cotterpin 21. The exterior of the cup is round and serves as a roller to secure rotation of the inger during its translation around the sprocket-wheel shafts 9 and 12.

Referring to Fig. 9, a series of sheetmetal, chain-spacing plates 22 are interposed between the horizontal sprocket-wheels and chains. The plates 22, at their ends, are provided with openings 23 for free reception of the stacks of sprocket-wheels. The plates 22 are spaced apart by spacing-blocks 24. The plates and the spacing blocks are clamped together stackwise by vertical bolts 25; the lowermost platev resting on the bottom of a picker-drum (Fig. 4). Relatively to the axes of the sprocket-wheel shafts 9 and 12, each plate 22 projects farther toward the central opening of the machinez on its inner side than it does toward the outside, vertical casing of the drum, thus forming an inner margin 26 on which the peripheres of the cup 16 have a rollin contact (Fig. 4) to give them rotation during their translation.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 12, there is a free space 27 between the outer wall of the drum-casing and the outer ends ofy the picker-fingers successively opposed to the wall; and in this space a vertical comb or stripper 28 is mounted, the lingers 29 of the comb extending forwardly and inwardly, as shown in Fig.'12, between each horizontal set of picker-fingers. Consequently, when, as shown` in Fig.- 12, the picker-fingers on the outside of the set begin to travel rearwardly, the points of the comb-teeth are directed to the inner end of the picker-fingers, and as the latter travel rearwardly, the cotton is progressively thrust outward by the wedging action of the comb-teeth. Relatively to the centers, or to the vertical plane through the axes of the sprocket-wheels 9 chute 30. `The cotton-picking fingers, in

their course of translation, after being stripped, have passed between the brushes 31. Each chute 30 extends upwardl into a cotton-cleaning device 32, of any esired interior construction, provided with an outward discharge spout 33 that delivers dirt, etc., into a can 34 at the side of the drivers seat.

The suction is produced in each. elevatorchute by a fan 35, the easing4 of which discharges upwardly at 36 into the elevatorchute 30 (Fig. 13). The fans are driven simultaneously (Figs. 3 and 13) by belts 37 running from pulleys 38 on the drive-shaft 1 to pulleys 39 on the fan-shafts.

The seed-cotton cleaning mechanism, the casing of which is elevated high above the other mechanisms, is driven from pulle 40 (Fig. 3) on drive-shaft 1 by a belt 41 ig. 1) to a pulley 42 on a horizontal shaft 45 provided with a bevel-gear 46 that meshes with a gear 47 on the drive-shaft of the cotton-cleaning mechanism. The cottoncleaning mechanism is contained in the upper portions of a high body of the machine rearwardly of the drivers seat and over the cotton-picking mechanisms.v The opposite sides in the rear end of this cotton-receiving body, or carrier, or van, may be made of duck fixed upon stanchions 49. The bottom 50 of the chamber thus formed is preferably slanted downwardly and rearwardly, so that the cotton discharged from the cotton-cleaning mechanism ma be carried in considerable quantities by the body or van of the machine. The cotton discharge-port of the seed-cotton cleaning mechanism is indicated by y and overhangs the chamber or space of the body or van 48.

In `a cotton-picking machine organized with a central, lengthwise-extending passageway for the plants, the .combination of a pair of vertical sprocket-carrying shafts spaced apart in the direction of the length of the machine; for each shaft a series of sprocket-chains alternating with a series of plates; and on each sprocket-chain a series of fixed horizontally-projecting rotatable cups each carrying a therein-demountablyiixed and therefrom-projecting picker-finger; each cu having an annular roll-forming wall which is adapted to contact with the inward margin of a plate adjacent said insane@ m passageway to rotate the finger during its ,In testimony whereof have affixed my picking movement, and the opposite outsignature in presence of two witnesses.

ward margin of the plate being out of the EDWARD S. BEACH. path of said roller when its course is ad- Witnesses: 5 jacent to such outward margin; and finger- M. E. SILLIMAN,

stripping devices. Gr. BLAKE. 

